◤UEFA Champions League◢ Club Brugge reached the Round-of-16 with a 0-0 away stalemate against Atlético Madrid courtesy of Simon Mignolet's shutouts..

2022-10-13 18:06

◤UEFA Champions League◢ Club Brugge reached the Round-of-16 with a 0-0 away stalemate against Atlético Madrid courtesy of Simon Mignolet




With the excellent performance of the goalkeeper, 10-man Club Brugge successfully advanced to the Round-of-16 after a 0-0 draw away against Atlético Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano in the Group B of the 2022/23 season UEFA Champions League matchday 4 Group Stage encounter on Tuesday.


In the first half, the visiting team launched fierce attacks against their opponents first, Sowah and Jutglà's shots both slightly just breezed past the goal post. Then, Griezmann's close-range shot was blocked by Mignolet. Soon after, Correa and Lemar's shots also slightly missed the post. Just when Saúl thought he had broken the deadlock, the referee correctly ruled that teammate Correa was in a offside position in the first place, something which turned Los Colchoneros' happiness short-lived. Griezmann's flying header was then saved by Mignolet. Later, Buchanan was brought down but was denied a penalty by VAR for his diving. In the second half, when Correa was celebrating his goal, the referee again accurately ruled that he was offside. Since then, Griezmann, Giménez, Cunha and Morata all tried various methods to scored goal but were repeatedly blocked by the outsanding Mignolet. In the end, Atlético Madrid was forced to a 0-0 draw by Club Brugge. The La Liga giants is currently third in the group with 4 points; while leaders Club Brugge became one of the first club to have advanced to the next round with 10 points.



First Half


In the 4th minute, Andreas Skov-Olsen made a cross from the right. Kamal Sowah quickly stopped the ball and shot with his left foot from the right side of the penalty area, but his shot slightly just missed the left post. 6 minutes later, Club Brugge made a quick counterattack. Skov-Olsen made a horizontal pass from the right side of the penalty area, Ferran Jutglà quickly followed up and volleyed the ball with his right foot in the middle of the penalty area, but his shot just went slightly wide off the right post.


In the 14th minute, Thomas Lemar made a straight pass from the left, Antoine Griezmann quickly followed up, got the ball, dribbled the ball into the left side of the penalty area then attempted a with his left-footed strike from a difficult angle at a very close range, however his shot was blocked by Simon Mignolet's spreading legs by the bottom left corner. 6 minutes later, Ángel Correa and Koke played a beuatiful one-two, after quickly following up and receiving the latter's return pass,  Correa then struck with his left foot from the left side of the penalty area, however his shot just slightly missed the right post.


In the 22nd minute, Reinildo Mandava returned a pass from the left side of the penalty area, after stopping the ball, Lemar took a long shot with his right foot from outside the penalty area, his shot was close but slightly wide off the upper left corner post.


1 minute later, Nahuel Molina crossed from the right, Correa quickly followed up, got the ball, dribbled deliberately past the outrushing Mignolet before making a horizontal pass, Saúl Ñíguez who was at a very close distance in front of the left side of the goal, pushed the ball into the net in the bottom left corner of the empty goal with his left foot. However, the linesman immediately raised the flag and accurately ruled that Correa was in an offside position in the first place, as such the goal was ruled out!


In the 26th minute, Saúl crossed from the left into the penalty area. Antoine Griezmann quickly plugged into the middle of the penalty area and attempted a flying header, however his attempt was tipped off the crossbar by the equally acrobatic  Mignolet.


10 minutes later, José María Giménez made a precise long pass from his own half. Griezmann successfully beaten the offside trap, quickly followed up and then fired half-volley with his left foot on the left side of the penalty area, but his shot flew high out of the pitch.


In the 42nd minute, Skov-Olsen made a horizontal pass from the right. Tajon Buchanan quickly got the ball, dribbled the ball to the right side of the penalty area and then was dubiously being brought down by Molina, referee immediately and awarded Club Brugge a penalty kick. Just to be sure, the VAR Assistant Referee intervened immediately. After going to the sidelines to watch the VAR video playback personally, the referee ruled that Buchanan had dived to fake a foul, as such the decision for a penalty was withdrawn, Buchanan was also handed a yellow card in return.


In the 2nd minute of stoppage time in the first half, Sowah and Stefan Savić were both cautioned after conflicting over to a corner kick decision.


At the end of the first half, the two sides shook hands and entered halftime temporarily drawing blank respectively.



Second Half


Both team switched sides as game continued. In the 46th minute, Molina crossed into the penalty area from the right, the ball was initially blocked off not far away by Denis Odoi, after picking up the loose ball, Griezmann made a left-footed rebounded shot, his shot ball was saved off not far away by Mignolet by the bottom right corner. Ángel Correa, who was unmarked, then made another shot on the right side into the bottom right corner of the empty goal. However the linesman immediately raised the flag again to indicate that the latter was in an offside position first, hence the goal was ruled out again!


3 minutes later, Savić made a precise long pass from his own half, Saúl successfully beaten the offside trap, quickly followed up, got the ball, dribbled the ball into the left side of the penalty area and volleyed with his left foot, however his shot ball was parried away by Mignolet by the bottom left corner. Soon after, Atlético Madrid comeback for another rapid round of attack. Koke made a straight pass near the center circle, Griezmann quickly followed up, dribbled the ball into the left side of the penalty area and chipped over the outrushing Mignolet with his left foot, but his shot was saved not far away by the acrobatic latter. After picking up the loose ball, Correa turned and shot with his right foot on the right side of the penalty area again, however his shot flew high out of the pitch.


In the 60th minute, Sowah made a straight pass from the front, Jutglà quickly followed up, got the ball, took a few steps, then shot with his right foot from the outer edge of the penalty area, but his shot flew high out of the pitch. In the 72nd minute, Atlético Madrid got a free kick. Rodrigo De Paul took the free kick from outside the penalty area and crossed it into the penalty area, José María Giménez jumped high in the middle of the penalty area and attacked with a header, however his attempt was held onto by Mignolet.


In the 82nd minute, when Axel Witsel was advancing with the ball in the front, he was maliciously knocked down by Sowah who was pressing forward. The referee immediately issued a second yellow card to the latter. As a result of being indirectly red-carded, Kamal Sowah was sent off on the spot and Club Brugge were forced to finish the game with 10 men!


6 minutes later, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco crossed into the penalty area from the right, Matheus Cunha volleyed the ball with his right foot in the middle of the penalty area, but his attempt was accidentally intercepted by teammate Morata. After stopping the ball, Álvaro Morata shot with his left foot at a very close distance in front of the left side of the goal, however the latter's shot was saved by the outrushing Mignolet off the crossbar with a flying header after getting down on the ground.


In the 5th minute of stoppage time, De Paul crossed into the penalty area from the left, Matheus Cunha successfully beaten the offside trap, followed up and pushed the ball with his right foot at a very close distance in front of the right side of the goal, but his shot was was blocked off not far away by Mignolet with a head-on tackle. After picking up the loose ball, Carrasco then made a shot with his right foot on the right side of the penalty area, but his shot was blocked by Éder Balanta.


As the final whistle blows, with the excellent performance of former Liverpool and Belgium key international goalkeeper Mignolet, the Jupiler Pro League defending champions Club Brugge successfully march into the Round-of-16 Knockout Stage after a 0-0 away draw against Atlético Madrid.